1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photo kiosks of the type which are typically located in public access locations and which provide photographs to persons desiring the same who interact with the kiosk and to an image forming process for such kiosks. In the prior art, such kiosks were typically called "photo booths" and provided an enclosed area in which persons desiring a photograph of themselves could pose against a standard foreground while a photograph was taken and processed and delivered by the mechanisms of the photo booth. The end product of such prior art photo booths was typically a single image of the subject or separate multiple prints of the same image.
The present invention relates to an improved interactive photo kiosk in which a person desiring a photograph can pose directly in front of the kiosk to have a picture taken against a selected computer generated background or foreground and in which a multiple image format in the form of "stickers" on a single sheet is delivered to the user from a frozen image selected by the user. The present invention further provides a unique image forming process for combining the image of the user with the computer-generated background or foreground.
2. Background and Prior Art
Various types of photo kiosks are known in the prior art. In the early prior art, such photo kiosks were configured in the form of photo booths in which an enclosed or partially enclosed area was provided in which the subject or subjects could pose against a standard foreground fixed in the enclosed area while a photograph was taken. After the photograph was taken, the apparatus of the photo booth would process the photograph and deliver a finished print to the subject. Typically, the finished product was in the form of an image or, in some cases, additional separate prints of the same image could be obtained from the apparatus.
Other types of photo booths in the form of photo kiosks were also known in the art as the art evolved from the earlier photo booth structures. These later photo kiosks included various types in which the enclosed or partially enclosed area was eliminated and in which the subject could input a selected foreground image. However, such later photo kiosks have not been user friendly in the sense of providing an effective visually interactive interface with the user to enable consistently acceptable results under the full control of the user and being able to attract users with effective visual displays. In addition, the format of the finished product delivered to the user was in the form of a single image or in the form of additional and separate prints of the same image. This specific format of the finished product of such prior art apparatus has limited the use and appeal of such prior art photo booth apparatus.